Short Summary

INTRODUCTION: Japan's Yoko Gushiken survived a third round knockdown to retain his World Boxing Association (WBA) junior flyweight title on Sunday (30 January) with a 15-round split decision over challenger Jaime Rios of Panama.

Description

INTRODUCTION: Japan's Yoko Gushiken survived a third round knockdown to retain his World Boxing Association (WBA) junior flyweight title on Sunday (30 January) with a 15-round split decision over challenger Jaime Rios of Panama.

SYNOPSIS: Rios was the first WBA junior flyweight champion until he lost the crown in July last year to Juan Guzman of the Dominical Republic. Gushiken took the title from Guzman with a seventh round knockout later in the year. It was the Japanese boxer's first defence of his championship. In the early rounds, Gushiken (wearing white shots) had trouble with Rios' unorthodox style.

In the third round, a right hook from a the Panamanian put the champion on the canvas for a mandatory eight count.

After that Gushiken changed his tactics and in the fourth round started boring in and taking the fight to the challenger.

In the seventh round, both boxer exchanged toe-to-toe blows in what was described by commentators as the best round of the fight. However, Rios had started to tire and the champion began to take control of the match.

Despite that, Rios opened a cut over Gushiken's left eye. Gushiken said later it was from Rios' butting and elbows.

At the end of the 15 rounds, United States referee Rudy Ortega and Japanese judge Yusaku Yoshida scored the fight in Gushiken's favour, but Panamanian judge Rudolph Hill said Rios was the winner.